Mrs Suzan Sampson

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will  (a) issue a temporary and  (b) reissue her former temporary national insurance number to Mrs Suzan Sampson of South Brent, Devon to enable her to apply for a state pension.

James Plaskitt: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 14( th) December 2006:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply direct to your question asking if he will (a) issue a temporary and (b) reissue her former temporary national insurance number to Mrs Suzan Sampson of South Brent, Devon to enable her to apply for a state pension. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	Details of benefit claims are confidential and I will write to you directly on the matter in question.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 14( th) December 2006:
	You recently tabled the following Parliamentary Question:
	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will (a) issue a temporary and (b) reissue her former temporary national insurance number to Mrs Suzan Sampson of South Brent, Devon. To enable her to apply for a state pension.
	The Secretary of State asked me to reply to your question and, in that reply, I promised to write to you directly concerning your constituent Mrs Suzan Sampson of South Brent, Devon.
	First I apologise for the length of time it has taken to deal with Mrs Sampson's request for a National Insurance number. The delay has been because of a revised procedure for allocating National Insurance numbers, which was introduced in February to improve security and prevent fraudulent applications.
	The new procedures involve the completion of an application to benefit. In Mrs Sampson's case this was State Retirement Pension and an application form requesting the allocation of a National Insurance number. A departmental visiting officer has already completed this part of the process and the forms were returned to Swansea Pension Centre. From there, her application was forwarded to Liverpool Contact Centre. From there, her application was forwarded to Liverpool Contact Centre on 8 December for the next stage of the investigation.
	The application was received on 11 December and I am pleased to be able to inform you that a potential match for Mrs Sampson's National Insurance number had been traced and was forwarded to Swansea Pension Centre on 12 December.
	Following confirmation of the match, Pension Service colleagues will be able to process her claim to State Retirement Pension.
	I hope this is helpful.